By BRIAN LOWE
THE 2025 Rugby League World Cup has been conditionally awarded to North America and enthusiasm expressed by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) and the bid’s backers is being shared by the two national governing bodies in the United States and Canada.
The RLIF Board has recommended the World Cup be staged in the United States and Canada and the RLIF Congress has accepted that recommendation, although no contract has been signed off on it as yet, and in reality, it is probably way too early in the piece to expect that formal part of the deal to have been done.
While they have had very little, if anything, to do with the bid and the very early planning stages, the USA Rugby League and Canada Rugby League Association are excited that the RLWC will come to their shores and they both endorse it.
They say they appreciate the bid by Moore Sports International (MSI) and will do all they can to work with the Sydney-based business to make the World Cup happen in 2025.
“RLWC2025 will be considered for contract by RLIF/RLWC with Moore Sports International,” said USARL boss Peter Illfield.
“MSI have nominated North America for the venues. The USARL have not been consulted or submitted anything formal to host.
“MSI will be a third-party provider and host. We are merely the host nations by location.”
Illfield explains that because the USARL is a volunteer organization, it does not have the resources or capacity of MSI, which specializes in organizing events, to stage something as big as a World Cup.
“At this stage, we have had no involvement in the bid from MSI,” he said.
However, on a positive note, the USARL boss is of the opinion that hosting a World Cup in North America can make money.
“RLWC2013 made a profit, I believe RLWC2017 is on track to make a profit,” added Illfield.
“I have not seen the bid for RLWC2025, I’m not sure how they will make a profit, but I’m sure they will. MSI are a specialist events company.”
There is one thing that Illfield is wondering about, however, and that is how the USA’s national governing body will be able to cope with what everyone hopes will be an avalanche of interest in the game of Rugby League after the World Cup.
Again, he stresses that as a volunteer organization, USARL’s resources are limited.
“The most important thing for me is you’ll have games all over the USA, but we don’t have the structure or the resources to meet potential demand to set up new clubs to grow the game,” commented Illfield.
“We’ll need parents and volunteers to cater for interest in Rugby League that the World Cup will generate, but we’ll lose momentum if we don’t have the infrastructure to deal with enquiries afterwards.”
Illfield believes the USARL will need at least a half million dollars to pay for that infrastructure.
Whether, as a volunteer organisation, they can get that kind of money remains to be seen, although the 2025 World Cup is still far enough away for all concerned to work out the details.
